Rain showers will start Sunday across Colorado, including on the drought-stricken Western Slope where multiple wildfires are burning on hundreds of square miles, and continue through at least midweek, according to the National Weather Service.

Four wildfires burning in western Colorado, including one that’s the fifth-largest on state record, have scorched nearly 170,000 acres, fueled by hot, dry and windy conditions.

Sunday’s storms will bring much-needed rain to the area, but also increase the risk of gusty winds spreading flames and frequent lightning sparking new fires, according to the weather service’s hazardous weather outlook . Monsoonal rain typically hits the Western Slope midsummer, and its absence has worsened extreme drought in the region.

Jump to : Lee and Elk fires |

See Full Page